I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wooden tiles and, more particularly, to wooden tiles including a plurality of smaller blocks in abutting relationship and methods for making such tile.
Wooden tiles or panels have been used as a floor covering, a border for carpeted floors and for other decorative purposes for a number of years. Parquet-type wooden panels or tiles include a plurality of wooden slates held together in some manner. Another type wooden panel or tile includes small blocks of wood which are arranged in a mosaic pattern and held together in some manner. The tiles or panels usually are adhesively bonded to a subfloor or wall.
II. Description of Related Prior Art
One prior approach for holding wooden slats or blocks together employs some sort of rigid or flexible backing sheet which is adhesively bonded to the underside of the slats or blocks. Representative prior art patents disclosing such an approach include Skinner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,520,313, Dittmar U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,138, Yontrarak U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,140, British Patent 787,169, British Patent 960,006 and Japanese Patent 59-49904. When a rigid backing is used, the individual blocks cannot move relative to each other which can cause warping and the ability of the tile to conform with an uneven surface during installation is limited. Even when a flexible backing support is used, the adhesive can seep into the joints between the slats or blocks and bond them together so they cannot move relative to each other sufficiently to avoid warping. The slats or blocks typically are flat or straight grain rather than end grain which can provide better wear characteristics and produce a more decorative appearance.
Another prior approach for holding wooden slats or blocks together employs flexible tie members, such as wire, which are press fitted into and/or glued in grooves in the underside of the slats. Representative prior art patents disclosing such an approach are Bosco U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,788 and Russian Patent 233215. The wire tie members add to the overall weight of the tile and require a carbide or other special cutting blade when the tiles have to be cut to fit during installation.
Wire tying has been used for end grain blocks 2 or more inches thick. However, it generally cannot be used for relatively thin (e.g., less than 3/4 inch) end grain blocks because of the stress resulting from the force required to push the wire down into grooves in the blocks. This force, which tends to open the grooves, is perpendicular to the grain for end grain block and parallel to the grain for flat grain blocks. Thus, relatively thin end grain blocks can split when the wire is forced into the groove or stressed in the vicinity of the grooves to the point they split during handling, installation or use after installation.
Elmendorf U.S. Pat. No. 2,118,841 discloses the use of end grain wooden blocks for floor tiles. The blocks, which are 1 inch or less in width, length and thickness, are arranged in rows and side by side and held together by gluing to a flexible backing, such as felt, or by properly located grooves containing suitable bonding and tie means. These grooves run across the length or width of the blocks at the joint between blocks. One half of each groove lies in one of two adjacent rows of blocks and the other half in the other row. The cord and/or adhesive filling the grooves is bonded to the two rows of blocks and ties them together as well as tying together the blocks in each of the two rows. Considerable labor is required to apply an adhesive in the grooves and, when used, installing a flexible cord in the grooves. Elmendorf U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,505 discloses a similar approach for holding wooden blocks together.
British Patent 1,207,685 discloses a honeycomb-surfaced plastic base plate including rectangular cells in to which individual ceramic tiles are press fitted.